The first statistics of the express business were gathered in 1890. In that year 18 com panies were operating over routes which aggre gated 174,060 miles. At the close of the fiscal year which ended 30 June 1916, the general business was in the hands of eight companies operating over a total of 297,139 miles: of this, 253,750 miles were on steam railroads, and 43,389 miles on other routes — electric railways, steamboats and stage routes. The mileage served was divided among the . companies as follows: Wells, Fargo and Company. 107,529 miles; American, 74,280 miles; Adams, 45,153 miles; Southern, 34,765 miles; Canadian, 12,050 miles; Great Northern, 9,838 miles; Northern, 6,275 miles; and Western, 5,249 miles. The combined revenues of all the companies for the fiscal year were $173,709,411, of which sum $172,655,204 was from the ordinary domestic express transportation business. Out of these revenues the express companies paid for ex clusive privileges . and transportation of merchandise to the carrying companies, $87, 971,137, leaving their net revenues at $85,971, 136. To this was added an income of $5,497,238 from the money-order and similar non-trans portation business. Out of the net revenues, $68,020,529 was paid out in expenses, and $4, 527,474 for maintenance. Taxes amounted to $1,548,761, and the total net profit on the year's business was $10,560,650.
The largest carrying business was done by the American Express Company, amounting to $57,039,124; Wells, Fargo and Company were second, with $45,366,216; and Adams Express Company third, with $42,018,735. The -largest net profit was made by the Southern Express Company, 9.5 per cent on the year's business; as compared with 6.3 per cent by Wells, Fargo and Company; 5.8 per cent by the American Express Company; and 5 per cent by Adams Express Company.
The latest available official statistics as to the capital, property and equipment of express companies in the United States are those for the fiscal year ended 30 June 1914. In that year the combined working capital of all the large companies amounted to $186.815,717, of which sum $75,760,300 was stock. The real es tate owned was valued at $16,446,269, and the equipment at $17,547,845: the latter sum in cluded 155 railroad cars valued at $603,787. The number of money orders, travelers' checks, letters of credit, telegraphic transfers of money, etc., was 24,209.695, representing the aggregate sum of $537,099,796.
Consult Chandler, W. C., The Express Service and Rates) (Chicago 1914); Interstate Commerce Commission, Document 4198, (Ex press Rates, Practices, Accounts and Revenues' (Washington 1913) ; and the annual reports of that commission.